DESPITE BN's BUNGLING: 5 good things that happened in 2014

Christmas and the New Year is just around the corner, and I for one am a little tired of the general negativity of this past year’s headlines. I said “general”. That means there was some gladness. So, in the spirit of Christmas and Auld Lang Syne, let’s take a look back at some of the more positive things that happened during the year.

1. Moderate Malaysia finds it’s voice in G25

malaysia_add_300The appearance of the Group of 25 Eminent Malays, or G25, was a godsend in the increasingly polarized political atmosphere of Malaysia. Composed of former senior civil servants and diplomats and civil society members, the G25 calls for moderation, fairness, and understanding in dealing with the various issues plaguing Malaysia. It exhorts the Prime Minister to take a more direct approach in working to bring back the nation to stability.

The group represents the rise of a third force between the liberals and conservatives, and has encouraged other moderate Malaysians to join the cause and voice out their concerns over the direction the country is taking.

2. Najib shows competence in MH17 negotiations with Ukrainian rebels

najib_mh17Our Prime Minister has received a lot of flak over his seeming lack of presence during times of national crisis, to the point of his “elegant silence” becoming a bitter joke on the lips of the people. So we were surprised when it was announced that Najib had brokered a deal with the Ukrainian rebels who held the crash site of MH17 so that the black box and bodies of the passengers could be recovered.

Additionally, the deal was brokered quietly even as world powers puzzled over the diplomatic dilemma and readily pointed fingers at Russia over the tragedy, making Najib’s accomplishment even more significant on a global scale. It is this kind of leadership that the rakyat craves, and Najib would do well to follow his own example from now on. Admittedly, this is a case of trying to find a silver lining in a scarring national tragedy, but in the spirit of this column, it’s fitting.

3. The confiscated Bibles get returned

m_alkitab4aprNever mind the hullabaloo over who was the one who got the Bibles returned in the end. While the Selangor palace is fuming over Menteri Besar Azmin Ali swooping in to collect the credit for the release of the confiscated Malay and Iban language Bibles from the grasping hands of the state religious authorities, the more important point was that it was finally done, and justice was served as the Bibles were returned to their rightful owners.

There was another fuss over the desecration of the Bibles with a stamp that said it was unfit for Muslims to read, but the Bible Society of Malaysia wisely slapped the powers that be that stamped the Bibles by retaining them for display. This is an example of what happens when authority figures overstep their boundaries, and a reminder to Malaysian Christians that they are being targeted.

4. Pakatan remains in Selangor by a hair

rafizi kajang300After the disaster of the Kajang Move came the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis, which saw incumbent MB Khalid Ibrahim stubbornly going against PKR’s wishes, refusing to abdicate his position in favour of Wan Azizah. The political drama saw PAS refusing to toe the coalition line and siding with Khalid before deciding to submit its own candidates for the position in what was seen as a power grab by the other component parties of Pakatan Rakyat.

After what seemed like an eternity of instability in Malaysia’s richest and most advanced state, PKR’s Azmin Ali took the helm, promising to be a man of the people and even giving out his number for residents to inform him of garbage dumping. However, he has flip-flopped on several important issues, earning him a few black marks not even half a year into his tenure.

5. ISMA called me “bodoh”

Shush. I know this isn’t really a news item, but on a personal level, this was the most entertaining compliment I’ve ever received from anyone. It’s hardly the worst thing an extremist group has called someone, but I’ll take it.

5a. RON97 becomes affordable (somewhat)

ron97Alright, this is the real number 5. With the removal of subsidies on RON95 and RON97, many Malaysians opted to buy the higher grade petrol since the price difference had narrowed down to a measly 20 sen per litre. Following this move to better petrol, it was reported that some road users experienced better performance and fuel efficiency from their vehicles. That sounds like a win-win situation, I guess.

Sure, the one about ISMA was a bit weak, but the point is that we get lost in so much negativity that every once in a while it’s important to take a look at the year in it’s entirety and pick out the bright spots. After all, life without taking the time out from the negatives must be a horribly dull life indeed.

Happy New Year everyone, and let’s hope I’ll find ten things to be grateful for in next year’s list. - FMT